The AN-GW is the node in the mobile communications network through which user devices establish sessions with the network. In some instances, an AN-GW may handle hundreds or even thousands of user sessions. When an AN-GW goes down or becomes unavailable, there is currently no mechanism in the network for session-independent notification and handling of the AN-GW unavailability. As a result, when an AN-GW becomes unavailable, the PCEF must signal the PCRF individually for each session involving the unavailable AN-GW. Signaling the PCRF individually for each session involving the unavailable AN-GW is burdensome on the PCEF, the PCRF, and the intervening network. In addition, if the PCRF does not recognize the per-session AN-GW status information being conveyed by the PCEF, the PCRF may continue to send messages to the PCEF for the failed sessions, resulting in rejections from the PCEF. When the AN-GW is restored, per-session messaging is required to restore each session for which AN-GW unavailability was noticed. If the PCRF does not support the exchange of per-session AN-GW restoration information, multiple requests and responses may be sent between the PCEF and the PCRF with rejections from the PCEF. For example, when the PCEF does not support an AN-GW status attribute value pair (AVP), the PCEF drops all messaging towards the PCRF. The PCEF also rejects all messaging from the PCRF with UNABLE_TO_COMPLY (message code 5012). No AN-GW status information is shared.
Accordingly, there exists a need for methods, systems, and computer readable media for suppressing message flooding during AN-GW unavailability and after AN-GW restoration.